Ahhh Burgundy, how we love thee. The Pinot Noir's from Burgundy represent a journey for wine drinkers. They can be equally rewarding and torturous at the same time. The Burgundy Pinot's are like a dominatrix wearing leather slapping you silly and making you call 'em Momma. When they're good, they're magic in a bottle. When they're bad, they end up as cooking wine.

The best Pinot Noir's I've ever enjoyed have been from Burgundy. So have the ones I couldn't stand. So it comes with a sense of satisfaction when you can find a bottle that lives up to your expectation. This wine sells for about $125-215 and comes from a vintage many people might look past. If you have 2007's you may want to think about drinking them younger. I found the Dom. Comte Liger-Belair to be just starting to enter its drinking window, but may peak in the next 3-5 years. Although the Domaine was established in 2000 by Louis-Michel Liger-Belair, the family actually has 200 years of viticulture.

You only get one chance to make a first impression, and this bad boy rocks right out of the bottle. Big aromatics soar out of the glass showing off initial cedar, dark red fruits and baking spices. Remember Star Trek when they used a tractor beam to bring smaller space ships into the bigger space ship's cargo bay? Think of the nose on this wine as the tractor beam in this scenario. Try NOT taking a sip, I dare you. At first, the oak was dominating, but after about a half hour we started to see the beauty of the soil coming through, framed up with the right amount of acidity. Primary red fruits like red raspberry and black cherry began unfolding along with asian spices and cinnamon over a full mouthfeel. Vosne-Romanée is located right in the middle of where all the best Burgs come from, and where many collectors look for bottles to add to their cellar.

If you're able to find a bottle on sale or know someone who has some in their cellar, it's a Burgundy worth seeking out and won't let you down.